Tuesday, May 27, 2008

now playing: Eleven Hundred Springs: Country Jam

Even if you’ve never been to Texas, you can just about see the couples two stepping around the floor at Gruene Hall or The Broken Spoke, and taste the the barbecue at Stubbs. and the migas at El Sol y La Luna. And of course, if you know Texas, the music on this latest release from Eleven Hundred Springs is going to sound a lot like home. Laid back and rowdy, gentle and strong, funny and sad, country and western and folk, all the things that go to make up the lonestar state and the heart of the American southwest. Eight of the twelve tracks are originals, too, written by Matt Hillyer, who plays electric guitar and sings with the band. Steven F. Berg plays a just right bass, Danny Crelin adds that country and southwestern touch on pedal steel, Jordan W. Hendrix knows his way around fiddling, and Mark Reznicek keeps the back beat going on percussion. Lloyd Mi Maines produced the project and throws in some guitar and banjo lines; heather Mules and Nick Curran are also among the guests.